hice 2020 development middle grade learners’ …...zombie boss complete a minecraft training...
TRANSCRIPT
SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT MIDDLE GRADE LEARNERS’ SPATIAL SKILLS WITH MINECRAFT Nick Lux
Associate Professor Department of Education Montana State University
HICE 2020 Honolulu, HI January 2020
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
BACKGROUND
▸ Nick Lux (Education)
▸ Brock LaMeres (Engineering)
▸ Shannon Willoughby (Physics)
▸ Bryce Hughes (Education)
▸ Barrett Frank (Physics)
▸ Sheryl Sorby (University of Cleveland Engineering Education)
▸ Chris Miko (CSULB & Advanced Learning Project)
▸ Preservice teachers
▸ Interdisciplinary STEM-focused effort rooted in the Montana Engineering Education Research Center (MEERC) :
NSF-FUNDED 3.5 YEAR PROJECT - CURRENTLY IN
YEAR 3
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
WHAT ARE SPATIAL SKILLS?▸ Spatial judgment and visualization abilities have been shown to be predictors
of middle school students’ future achievement in STEM-related courses (Sorby, Casey, Veurink, & Dulaney,2014; Sorby 2000)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
WHY FOCUS ON SPATIAL SKILLS?▸ However, spatial skills are one of the few cognitive skills showing
gender differences (Hill, Corbett, & St. Rose, 2010; Hsi, et al., 1997; Hungwe, Sorby, Molzon, Charlesworth & Wang 2014; Maeda & Yoon, 2013, McGee, 1979)
▸ Differences emerge around middle school (Wang & Degol, 2013)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
WHY FOCUS ON SPATIAL SKILLS?▸ Even abbreviated interventions (< 10 hours) can improve spatial
skills (Hill et al., 2010; Hsi et al., 1997; Sorby, 2009)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
WHY MINECRAFT?
▸Leveraging interest in game play
▸Easily scalable & remotely delivered
▸Aligns w/ research on role player games (1st person shooter) (Clark, Tanner-Smith & Killingsworth, 2016; Green & Bavelier, 2003 and 2007; Martin-Dorta et al., 2014; Nguyen & Rank, 2016)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
WHY MINECRAFT?
▸ Sketching 3D objects has been shown to substantially assist development of spatial skills. (McKim, 1980; Sorby & Baartmans, 1996; Sorby & Gorska, 1998; Field, 1994; Bowers & Evans, 1990)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
MINECRAFT EXAMPLE: CALIFORNIA MISSIONS
THE STUDY
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
▸ Despite what is known about game play in 3D environments, little research has been conducted how Minecraft can be used to address spatial skills.
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
PURPOSE
▸ Investigate if Minecraft-based activities that target specific spatial skills influence learners’ spatial abilities, and how that skill growth differs across genders
▸Measure which design challenges most positively influence spatial skills, and how growth varies by gender.
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Does a Minecraft-based intervention that targets specific spatial reasoning tasks influence middle grade learners’ spatial ability?
2. Does spatial skills growth differ by gender?
INTERVENTION DESIGN
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
TIMELINE
Three-year project… ‣ Year 1: Team development, planning, intervention
design ‣ Year 2: Summer Camp #1 (August 2018) ‣ Year 3: Summer Camp #2 (August 2019)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
DESIGN: DAY CAMPS IN 2019
▸ Day One
▸ Spatial skills pre-tests (puzzles);
▸ Minecraft basics;
▸ Spatial skills problem solving intro
▸ Storyline Intro & Fortress Design Challenge
▸ Day Two
▸ Maze challenges and puzzles
▸ Fortress Design Challenge
▸ Boss Battle
About 10 hours total
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT▸ Spatial skills activities were originally highly
structured activities that students completed in the Minecraft environment
▸ After Year 1, mental rotation measurement data indicates a statistically significant increase of 1.0625 (95% CI, -1.6114 to -.5135) km, t(31) = -3.9473, p < .0005 (Cohen’s d = .59)
▸ But anecdotal evidence suggested the tutorial/drill & practice design influenced engagement
MENT
AL RO
TATION
ENGAGEMENT
Year 1
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT▸ In Year 2, we worked with partner teachers to
develop an engaging narrative drive the game
▸ Pilot tested the design concepts with three classes of students (n = 58) and arrived at a final storyline in the form of a graphic novel
▸ Preservice teachers participated in the research, wrote the storyline, and pilot tested it
▸ Winner: Post Apocalyptic Zombie World
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
THE STORYLINE
▸ Must complete series of spatial skill puzzles to obtain the armor needed to beat the Zombie boss
▸ Complete a Minecraft training course
▸ Complete intro rotation and 2d3d transformation puzzles to obtain a map
▸ Design a fortress for your team
▸ Complete puzzles to earn armor for final battle
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
THE STORYLINE
▸ Student use a paper-based map to navigate a maze in Minecraft
▸ At the end of the maze, students complete a variety of rotation and 2d3d puzzles
▸ When successful, system “checks” the answers and advances students to next maze
▸ Beat all 4 mazes (with 2 spatial puzzles each) to earn the armor to fight the zombie boss
GAME PLAY & SPATIAL SKILL PUZZLES
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
MAPS, MAZES, AND PUZZLES
MAPS, MAZES, AND PUZZLES
Maze from above
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS
▸ Pre- & post-test spatial skill measurements
▸Qualitative data (observations, focus groups)
▸ For small sample size, ANOVAs and paired samples t-test with effect size calculation
DATA COLLECTION
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS INSTRUMENTS: ROTATION (PRE & POST)
Adapted from Purdue Spatial Visualization Tests: Visualization of Rotations (PSVT:R) (Guay, 1977; Sorby, 2009, Yoon, 2011).
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS INSTRUMENTS: ROTATION (PRE & POST)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS INSTRUMENTS: ROTATION (PRE & POST)
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS INSTRUMENTS: 2D TO 3D TRANSFORMATION
Ramful, Lowrie, and Logan’s (2017) Spatial Reasoning Instrument; Lappen’s (1981) Spatial Visualization Test
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SPATIAL SKILLS INSTRUMENTS: 2D TO 3D TRANSFORMATION
Ramful, Lowrie, and Logan’s (2017) Spatial Reasoning Instrument; Lappen’s (1981) Spatial Visualization Test
FINDINGS
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
SAMPLE▸ All camp participants that provided research consent (n=28)
Demographics n PercentGender Male
Female Grade in Fall 2019
4th 5th 6th 7th
14 14
10 8 4 6
50 50
36 29 14 21
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
MINECRAFT EXPERIENCE
Participants’ Experience Playing Minecraft n PercentI have no experience.
I have a little experience. I have some experience.
I have a lot of experience. I am an expert.
5 7
12 4 0
18 25 43 14 0
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
COMPUTER GAME EXPERIENCE
Participants’ General Computer and Game Experience n Percent I have no experience.
I have a little experience. I have some experience.
I have a lot of experience. I am an expert.
1 9
10 6 2
4 32 36 21 8
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
ACCESS
Access to Technology or Gaming Console at Home n PercentNo access
Little access Some access
A lot of access I own a computer or gaming console
0 4 8 4
12
0 14 29 14 42
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
FINDINGS▸Although the mean rotation post
test scores were higher than the pre test, no significant differences were detected.
▸Although the mean 2d to 3d transformation post test scores were higher than the pre test, no significant differences were detected.
NO GROWTH IN EITHER SPATIAL SKILL
Year 2
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
HOWEVER…
▸ Confidence: Learners’ higher confidence when it came to mental rotation
▸ Rotation test confidence measurement data indicates a statistically significant increase of 293 points (95% CI, 173.7806 to 346.9601 km, t(26) = 6.1809, p < .0005.
▸ Speed: Learners’ were quicker with their 2d to 3d skills after the intervention
▸ 2d to 3d measurement data indicates a statistically significant faster time at 293 seconds quicker to complete (95% CI, 1192.1054 to 394.8546 km, t(26) = 5.9750, p < .0005.
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
FINDINGS▸No significant growth detected
when analyzed across:
▸Gender
▸Experience
▸Access
▸Speed
▸Confidence
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
FINDINGS▸ In summary…
▸ No growth in spatial skill scores (pre to post)
▸ Higher confidence reported with mental rotation skill
▸ Quicker at 2d to 3d transformation
▸ Much more engaging
CONCLUSIONS
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS▸Small sample size
▸Lack of experimental design
▸Test/retest concerns & self-report (confidence)
▸But findings do indicate that students’ speed and confidence did increase
▸Qualitative data indicates storyline was a success and learner engagement was high
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
CONCLUSIONS
▸ Although no growth in total score, growth in speed and confidence is promising
▸ Currently working with engineering educators to better understand the role of speed and confidence in engineering
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
CONCLUSIONS
▸Too many teachers needed!
▸Several Minecraft experts and upwards of 5 preservice teachers needed in the room to support students
▸Alternative design and delivery mechanism needed
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
NEXT STEPS
▸Summer Camp 2020 and AY 19/20 partner school implementations
▸Continue to refine storyline and game play with assistance of partner teachers, preservice teachers, spatial skills expert, and Minecraft expert
▸Study possible other predictors (math scores, STEM self-efficacy, STEM identity)
▸Exploring move to Minecraft Education for ease of distribution
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
MINECRAFT EDUCATION POTENTIAL
▸Alignment to NGSS and state math and ELA standards
▸Easy distribution
▸Easily managed/facilitated
MINECRAFT EDUCATION
Minecraft Education home page
SPATIAL SKILLS AND MINECRAFT
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS?
Nick Lux Department of Education Montana State University Bozeman, MT [email protected]
This project is funded by the National Science Foundation's Discovery Research in K-12 (NSF: DRK12) program under Award DRL-1720801. The findings of this work are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.